Mexicos Popocatepetl volcano erupted on 3 April, lighting up the night sky while belching ash and smoke, authorities reported. At 8.30pm local time, a spectacular column of ash erupted into the air from the volcano, located 80 kilometres south east of the capital, Mexico City.

National Civil Protection Coordinator Luis Felipe Puente said ash and smoke rose 2,000m above the crater of the volcano, with the heaviest ash fall towards the east and north east of the volcano.

The explosion was accompanied by incandescent fragments along Popocatepetls eastern, north-eastern slopes. There have been a series of rumblings at the massive volcano in recent months. Mexico contains over 3,000 volcanoes, but only 14 are considered active.